Journal article
The Needle in the Haystack: Uncovering the First Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) Aggregation in the Coral Sea
Ecology and Evolution, Vol.15(6), pp.1-23
2025
PMCID: PMC12185998
PMID: 40557118
Abstract
Aggregations are key events, supporting critical ecological and biological functions in many species. For highly mobile and elusive species, aggregations often provide the only feasible opportunities for research. Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) form at least 30 consistent seasonal aggregation sites globally, yet none have been documented in the Coral Sea, despite sporadic sightings of solitary individuals and groups. This study aimed to identify and characterise the first whale shark aggregation on Australia's east coast by predicting potential sites through a data layering approach and confirming their presence through targeted field expeditions. A combination of historical sightings data, expert and anecdotal knowledge, and scientific knowledge from other whale shark aggregation sites led to the identification of Wreck Bay, situated at the far northern Great Barrier Reef, as potential aggregation habitat. An initial field expedition in 2019 confirmed the aggregation, and three subsequent voyages in 2021–2024 gathered further demographic and movement data. A total of 59 individuals were identified, with a strong male bias (3.5:1) and all classified as immature sharks ranging from 3.5 to 8.0 m in estimated total length. Satellite tracking revealed a mean residence time of approximately 3 weeks (21.6 days ±10.1 SD; range: 7–43 days), with some individuals revisiting the aggregation in subsequent years. The peak aggregation period occurs from late November to late December, with movements concentrated along the continental shelf before dispersing into the Coral Sea. Tracked sharks (n = 18) exhibited wide-ranging movements, with a mean track duration of 144 days (range: 3–770 days) and a mean total track length of 1463 km (range: 19–11,355 km). This study provides the first evidence of a whale shark aggregation in the Coral Sea and highlights Wreck Bay as key habitat for this iconic and globally endangered species.
Details
- Title
- The Needle in the Haystack: Uncovering the First Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) Aggregation in the Coral Sea
- Authors
- Ingo B. Miller (Corresponding Author) - James Cook UniversityRichard Fitzpatrick - Biopixel Oceans FoundationKátya G. Abrantes - Biopixel Oceans FoundationBradley Norman - Murdoch UniversitySimon J. Pierce - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringMark V. Erdmann - University of AucklandLisa A. Hoopes - Georgia Aquarium (United States)Christine Dudgeon - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringMatthew D. Dunbabin - Queensland University of TechnologyAlistair D. M. Dove - Georgia Aquarium (United States)Robin J. Beaman - James Cook UniversitySamantha D. Reynolds - Murdoch UniversityChristopher Rohner - Marine Megafauna FoundationSamuel M. Williams - Department of Primary IndustriesDavid Paton - Blue Planet Marine (Australia)Sonny Lewis - ECOCEAN Inc. (Australia)Adam Barnett - Biopixel Oceans Foundation
- Publication details
- Ecology and Evolution, Vol.15(6), pp.1-23
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1002/ece3.71552
- ISSN
- 2045-7758
- PMID
- 40557118; PMC12185998
- Copyright note
- © 2025 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by British Ecological Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
- Data Availability
- Sightings data as well as tracking data used for analysis are available on the Zenodo data repository: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15048664. Near-live tracks can be viewed at https://biotracker.tv/. Photo IDs were uploaded to Sharkbook: Wildbook for whale sharks: https://www.sharkbook.ai/ and links provided in Table A1.
- Grant note
- Funding: We acknowledge funding support by the Slattery Family Trust, the Queensland Government's Threatened Species Research (Round 1) grant (TSR069), the Sapphire Project, Blancpain Ocean Commitment, Georgia Aquarium, Sea World Foundation (SWR/9/2023), Conservation International, MAC3 Impact Philanthropies, and 4planet.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991138094102621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
207 File views/ downloads
29 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: SDGs from InCites